People are freaking out about a potential clash between a 'gang' of 'outsiders, misfits, and weirdos' called the Juggalos and far-right Trump supporters

Juggalos — fans of the Insane Clown Posse — and a far-right, pro-Trump coalition are both staging marches in Washington, DC on the same day.

And, with both groups promising enormous crowds, a clash between the two groups on September 16 seems likely.

Organisers announced the pro-Trump “Mother of All Rallies” on Sunday, describing the event as the “Woodstock of American Rallies” to defend what organisers call traditional American values and culture. While the march is explicitly nonviolent and inclusive, organisers such as the Alt Knights have stated missions of street activism and “confrontation,” and were involved in organising the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally.

Meanwhile, Juggalos are marching for a very different issue — to protest being classified as a “loosely organised hybrid gang” by the FBI.

While the Insane Clown Posse draws thousands of fans to festivals, many people are in the dark on what Juggalos actually are. According Juggalos, they’re one of the most misunderstood groups of people in the US.

Here’s what you need to know about Juggalos before the potential clash between the hip-hop fans and far-right Trump supporters.

Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope formed the Insane Clown Posse (ICP) in Detroit, Michigan in 1989 as a hardcore hip hop group.

Getty Images / Carlo Allegri

On a basic level, Juggalos are simply fans of ICP. However, the group has a created subculture that is goes farther than that of most musical groups.

Many Juggalos follow in Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope's footsteps and paint their faces, in keeping with the 'insane clown' theme.

Other Juggalo fashion trends include wearing HatchetGear, a brand produced by ICP's record company, Psychopathic Records.

Faygo -- an inexpensive, Detroit-based soda brand -- is frequently mentioned in ICP songs and as a result has become a Juggalo favourite.

The annual festival was first hosted in 2000.

The most recent festival was a four-day event, held in Oklahoma in late July.

Roughly 8,000 people showed up for the festival, which organisers call an 'annual family reunion.'

In addition to live performances, events included beach volleyball, rap battles, and costume, tattoo, and wet-T-shirt contests. Another contest: Faygo launching, in which participants attempt to fire a two-litre bottle of the soda as far as possible.

This year's gathering was tamer than years past, with strict bans on drugs, alcohol, and nudity -- all things that are typically staples at the festival.

In addition to ICP, other performers over the years have included Ice Cube and Vanilla Ice.

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While many Juggalos see the gathering as the highlight of their years, the event isn't without controversy. The 2017 gathering was reportedly packed with undercover police officers due to concerns regarding drug use and potential violence.

ICP has also been criticised for its violent lyrics.

Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope say that the lyrics are not meant to be taken literally, and have even said that they are meant to serve as Christian allegories.

In 2011, the FBI formally classified Juggalos as a 'loosely-organised hybrid gang.' According to the National Gang Intelligence Center, law enforcement officials in at least 21 states have identified criminal Juggalo sub-sets, who have primarily been tied to crimes such as simple assault, personal drug use and possession, and vandalism.

FBI

A screenshot from the FBI's 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment report.

The ICP and many of its fans have strongly opposed the classification, arguing it has resulted in Juggalos being discriminated against, harassed, and profiled. ICP says that Juggalos are a 'family of love,' and that classifying them as a gang ignores most Juggalos' actions.

The September 16 Juggalo March on Washington was organised to protest Juggalos' gang classification.

'We may be the outsiders, the misfits, the weirdos, and the underdogs of the mainstream world, but as a result we have created our own world -- one built on a rock-solid foundation of community, creativity, joy, and love,' reads the event's website.

However, with the event coinciding with the pro-Trump rally, much of the coverage and buzz against the Juggalo march has turned to a potential clash between Juggalos and the right.

The ICP has a strong anti-racist and anti-Confederate stance. While the Mother of All Ralliest is explicitly open to all races, attendees strongly support President Trump in his determination to protect Confederate statues.

'F--- both y'all and your rebel flag,' ICP says in 'Rebel Flag,' a song that promises violent retribution to 'goddamn bigots.'

Right now, roughly 2,000 people have RSVP-ed that they will attend the Juggalo March on Washington on Facebook. The Mother of all Rallies Facebook event is nearing 8,000 attendees as of Friday morning.

Facebook Juggalo March

The Juggalo march event page has been flooded with people encouraging attendees to take on the 'Nazis.' 'Whoop whoop from a Florida Juggalo who is rooting for y'all to kick some Neo-Nazi arse,' reads one such comment.